5 Star Review: This review is from: Eve and Mary: The Search for Lost Beauty and Sensuality (Paperback) Certainly worth a look see. The feminine strengths and presence in early Christian history have been so overlooked and repressed, that all attempts to shed some light on this area of history or possible history, even, is opening oneself to a much more balanced view of what we all could be in a more balanced society-with the roles of men and women in harmony. ~ Edward Huff, Amazon.com

The first pope could have been a woman. After all, Jesus made no bones about gender issues. And Mary Magdalene was certainly most fitting to be the first bishop of Rome. So what went wrong? As is often the case, the issue is the bending of truth. Eve and Mary is an exciting voyage of historical and cultural discovery that steps into the stream of familiar legends and myths to explore and make sense of the stigmatization of sexual pleasure and the vanishing of beauty in the Early Middle Ages in Europe. ~ Sedona Journal of Emergence, New and notable

7 Aug 2014 Frank Shapiro examines our perception of love and sensual beauty through the religious images of Eve and Mary Magdalene over the centuries. Frank raises the question, 'Why has there not been a female Pope?' and then he takes us through history examining when these two feminine role models fell in and out of favour, their image vilified by male church leaders. His evidence is found in religious art and how this changed to accommodate the con-current church doctrines. Frank implies that these women have become the scapegoats for all the sinful errors of mankind. 'Eve ate the forbidden apple; Mary was a prostitute. Their sins incurred the wrath of god so they had no place in Church hierarchy. This view has changed and see-sawed through the ages and the evidence is still out there. This book provides a talking-point and a fresh view-point in an age-old religious argument. ~ Susan Pope, Amazon uk

11 August 2014 A surprising and interesting look at Christianity from a different perspective. The author is obviously extremely well versed with the history of the Church, and beings out points that would not normally be thought of. The connection and importance of women in the early Church is fascinating, while even more fascinating is how their influence was eradicated from quite early on. The notion that beauty, so prevalent in Catholic churches, does not include feminine beauty is mind boggling. Shapiro brings all this out beautifully. This is a must read for anyone interested in feminism and patriarchy ~ Ron, Amazon